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South Africa
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Orlando Pirates’ winless streak in the Absa Premiership stretched to seven matches on Wednesday evening when they could only draw 1-1 with Maritzburg United at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Defender Lucky Lekgwathi put the Buccaneers ahead just before half time but Team of Choice defender Mor Diouf equalised in the 54th minute to ensure his side took home a share of the spoils, despite ending the game with ten men after Bageta Dikilu was sent off.
Pirates dominated possession but Maritzburg were certainly keen to give their hosts a game and Noah Chivuta almost opened the scoring with a long range effort on 36 minutes that forced Moeneeb Josephs into an excellent save.
In injury time at the end of the first half Lekgwathi scored from close range after a good corner kick from Dennis Masina, sending the home team into the break with a 1-0 lead.
But their advantage was short lived, as Collen Zimba’s free kick was turned home by Diouf. Pirates’ defence, which had been their strength early in the season, once again let them down.
The Buccaneers pushed hard for a winner in the latter stages but the visitors’ defence had an answer for every question they were asked, even when Dikilu was sent off for a second bookable offence late on.
Pirates are in sixth place on 21 points, six adrift of leaders SuperSport United. Maritzburg lie in 11th place on 16 points.
Orlando Pirates (1) 1 (Lekgwathi 45’)
Maritzburg United (0) 1 (Diouf 54’)
Pirates: (4-4-2) Josephs; Jele, Mahamutsa, Thwala, Lekgwathi; Masina (Mabalane 83’), Mdluli, Jali, Mongala (Mthembu 63’); Mashego (Modise 84’), Mbuyane
Maritzburg:(4-4-2) Goldman; Petersen (Hendricks 89’), Dikilu, Diouf, Ngwepe; Obada, Phakathi, Chivuta (Badian 84’), Bester (Zimba 46’); Madondo, Davids
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